


In Good Time

by Its_a_secre1094



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Graphic Violence, Memory Loss, Not really a slow burn, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Violence, kind of an angry burn lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14074587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Its_a_secre1094/pseuds/Its_a_secre1094
Summary: When Link awoke in the shrine, he was told who he was in the past and who he was supposed to become to save the Princess and all of Hyrule. Now that Calamity Ganon is gone, he and the Princess struggle to find out who they really are and what they mean to each other.———Mostly dealing with Link and Zelda’s relationship to each other and how Link deals with his memory loss. Some post traumatic stress comes in to play as well. Each chapter is going to be divided into separate scenes that can still be tied together, like how we receive the memories within the game.———





	1. Startled

He stood there, frozen. The bow of light still gripped in his fingers, chest heaving, feet glued to the ground. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

She stood before him, dressed in white but bathed in gold. Her right hand was raised high in the air. He didn’t even have to squint to see the three triangles blazing off of her skin. The beast wailed before them, suddenly trapped in the brightest sphere of golden light. It was flailing and screaming, trying to flee in every direction. Black and purple malice dripped everywhere, filling the air with the foul stench of rot and decay. The light swelled and swelled, trapping its prey further within it and then…

Nothing was left in the field before her. In the blink of an eye, it was all gone. The malice, the horrible stench, the fear and the beast itself was gone. 

Calamity Ganon was no more.

She lowered her hand slowly, the once blazing triforce now dimming to a subtle glow. She stood still, facing away from him.

“I’ve been keeping watch over you all this time.” She spoke softly. “I’ve witnessed your struggles to return to us as well as your trials in battle…”

He was still frozen. He wanted to reach out to her, to run to her, to make sure that she was real...but he couldn’t move. So he listened. 

“I always thought-no, I always believed- that you would find a way to defeat Ganon. I never lost faith in you over these many years. Thank you, Link…” She slightly turned her head over her shoulder, acknowledging that he stood behind her, but not meeting his eyes. “…the Hero of Hyrule.”

He could hear the smile in her voice, but also the fear. “May I ask…” She finally turned the rest of the way, her emerald eyes locking onto his. The smallest hopeful smile played at her lips as she clasped her hands in front of her chest. ”Do you really remember me?”

 

His breath was sucked out of his chest, lips dry and knees trembling. His heart raced faster now than in any battle he had ever fought. He slowly raised one hand and reached out to her, but the adrenaline cut off in an instant and exhaustion smothered him. He took one step and buckled, knees hitting the ground first, then shoulders, then head. 

“Link!” The world was quickly fading away from him, swirling into darkness. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was those emerald eyes boring into his, urgently calling his name. “Link!”

 

_________________________________________

 

“When do you think he will wake?” Zelda’s soft voice broke the silence in the small room, her footsteps the only other noise as she padded over to the bed. The Hero of Hyrule lay there, his limbs falling out from under the quilt. His blonde bangs spilled over his closed eyes, lips slightly parted as his breaths slipped past them. “It’s been three days already and he has barely stirred."

“When he is ready, child. He has endured great things since the Calamity.” Impa spoke just as softly, patting one of Link’s bare feet that was peeking out from under the blanket. After he collapsed, Zelda had taken Link to Kakariko Village. She had prayed that it had remained untouched and that Impa was still alive. Her prayers were answered. “He is well, he just needs to rest.” 

And with that, Impa left the room. Zelda simply nodded, moving the golden hair off of Link’s eyes. She took note of how his long eyelashes danced across his cheeks and how his chest rose and fell with steady breaths. He smelled…not good, if she was perfectly honest. The remnants of sweat and battle clung to his skin and his Champion’s tunic. For fear of disturbing him, no one had touched him aside from removing his boots and weaponry, so he smelled rather foul. The whole room did. Feeling the light blue fabric of his tunic between her fingers, she decided to change that. She peeled the quilt off and tossed it to the side. She slowly slid the tunic up towards Link’s shoulders pausing when he stirred slightly. He mumbled something in his sleep, something incoherent, and then quickly fell back deep into his slumber. As she pulled the tunic the rest of the way over his head, her eyes fell down across his well muscled chest and abdomen. She would have been flustered had there not been so many scars. Her fingers trailed lightly over one of them and she wondered what the story behind each one was. She felt a sudden swell of guilt and her eyes filled with tears. She had done this to him. If she would have been able to harness her powers sooner, he wouldn’t have gone through so much pain. He wouldn’t have almost died…

She cleared her throat, trying to choke back the pain, and wiped furiously at her eyes. Pathetic.

“I’m sorry, Link.” She breathed, undoing his belt and sliding his pants down his legs. He didn’t move at all. She would have thought that he was dead had she not felt his chest rise under her fingertips. “For everything.” 

She left him in nothing but his undergarments, which he would have to change himself. As improper as she was willing to be to help clean him up and rest better, she wanted them both to have some shred of dignity left. Within five minutes, she had returned to the room with a bucket of soapy water and a rag and pulled a chair to his bedside. She worked quietly and carefully, dragging the wet cloth against his skin and gently scrubbing at the clumps of dirt and blood that were caked on. Link stayed deadweight the whole time, not even flinching when she cleaned his face. After a good hour, the majority of his body had been scrubbed clean. She remained at his bedside, washing the dirt way from his nails and then finally resigning to hold his hand in hers. Leaning her head against the mattress, she watched him breathe, afraid that if she looked away, he would stop.

She didn’t know when she had fallen asleep, but when she woke, Link’s quilt had been replaced with a clean one and a blanket had been placed around her own shoulders. The sun had set, just the moonlight peeking in through the window. The wash bucket and rag were gone, as were Link’s dirty clothes. A fresh Hylian tunic and trousers had been placed on the table next to him. Paya, most likely. She made a mental note to thank the young girl and sat up, eyes trailing across Link’s features. The moonlight fell over his face, casting a hard shadow under his jaw. His face was hard set, different than his peaceful state earlier. His jaw was clenched, eyebrows drawn together and shoulders tensed. She moved closer to him, gently touching a hand to his cheek.

“Link…” She prodded, wanting to wake him from his turmoil. She tried again, a little louder. “Link, wake up.”

Within an instant, Link’s eyes flew open. They were black, pupils wide with fear. Before she could even think to speak, a hand was around her throat and she had been flipped and slammed backwards into the bed. Link was on top of her, one knee pinning her chest down while his hands held her throat and arms. With the wind knocked out of her, all she could do was lay there and try to gasp for air.

“Link…” She croaked. “It’s me.”

There was no sound to her voice, just puffs of air. She lay still, hoping to not provoke him further as tears gathered behind her eyes. The slowly spilled out of the corners, seeping into the blankets below her. She had never seen this side of Link before. She had seen him fight, of course, but she had never seen his defense and his fury so close up, let alone directed at her. 

Link stared down at her, his blind rage slowly settling. His pupils retracted, slowly letting more of his bright blue shine through. He slowly loosened his grip around her throat and arms, pulling his knee off of her chest. She didn’t dare move. The two just stared at each other. Recognition filled his eyes. In a flash, it was replaced by so many things. Remorse, grief, regret, disgust. With a gasp he flew away from her, his back slamming into the wall as he stumbled over his feet and fell to the floor. His lips parted and tried to form words, yet he never found his voice. Zelda coughed and slowly sat up, fingers tracing the quickly forming bruises where Link’s hand had just been. She met his gaze, his eyes wide with fear and sorrow.

“Link.” He flinched at her cracked voice and looked away, violently shaking his head as she tried to take a step towards him. “Link, it’s okay. I’m sorry...”

He didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything. His heart was pounding like drums in his ears and his face was flushed. He thanked the Goddess that he didn’t have the sword next to him when he woke. Zelda did the same. 

She took another cautious step towards him, then another, then another until she was finally standing in front of him. He refused to meet her eyes, his fists balled up, his entire body shaking with fear. She crouched down in front of him, but dared not touch him yet. She dipped her chin to try to find his eyes but he flitted his gaze around the room until finally squeezing his eyes shut.

“Link I’m sorry. You were having a nightmare. It was just a dream. It’s over….He’s gone. We’re safe.” 

It’s over. We’re safe. 

Her words did little to comfort him. Instead he sat there, eyes glued shut, body trembling. He felt fingertips graze his knee and froze. His eyes flew open and met hers. She noticed how frantic he was, his eyes no longer the deep calm waters that they usually were. She had honestly never seen much emotion come out of him before. He was always so stoic, so hard. Eyes empty, but strong. Vigilant. He was now terrified, every emotion she could name swimming back and forth in his eyes. 

They sat there for nearly an hour, Link with his head in his hands and Zelda wondering how she could comfort him without crossing any more boundaries than she already had. Eventually Link’s breathing returned to normal and he calmed, yet he didn’t move from his place on the floor. Zelda decided it best to leave him to himself for a while and went to find her old friend once more. 

__________________________________________

She sat with Impa and Paya outside, watching the fireflies flitter around in the grass before them. Impa gave her a side eye, her eyes glaring at the small fingerprint shaped bruises that were starting to appear around her neck. Her gaze didn’t falter as Zelda caught her staring, but rather she arched her eyebrows in question.

“I scared him.” Zelda clarified. “The fault is mine.”

“I believe you.” Impa simply replied. “You should take care, Zelda. He is not the same knight that was appointed to you. After waking from that shrine, he had to fight to survive in ways that we will never understand.”

Zelda frowned. “I fought too. 100 years worth of it.”

“You knew what you were fighting for. That boy didn’t even know his own name."

Zelda paused. Impa was right. While both she and Link fought, nearly to the death, she had memories that she clung to. She could remember why she was fighting and holding on. Link had nothing. He woke up with nothing and no one and was told to fight for his life…for her life. She wonders what would have happened if he had decided to run instead of fight. She would have been surely swallowed by the blight and Ganon would rule over Hyrule and soon the entire world.

Footsteps behind her broke her out of her morbid thoughts.

“Well hello, Link. It’s good to see you well again.” Impa spoke cheerfully, not letting on that she had any idea of what had transpired earlier. The Link who stood before her now was not the one she had left an hour prior. He had properly bathed and changed into fresh clothes. To anyone else, his three full days of sleep would have seemed to have rejuvenated him completely, yet Zelda could see he was still drained from his battle. He nodded a greeting to Impa as he adjusted his new clothes and forced a small smile at Paya, who quickly blushed and looked away. Zelda caught his eyes and saw them drop to her neck, his jaw setting rigid as he saw the marks he left there. He went stone cold at that point, a vacancy filling his gaze that reminded her of the Link she knew pre-Calamity. The thought sent chills down her spine. “Well Paya, I think it is time we finally retire to our beds, no?”

Paya jumped to her feet and helped the old lady up. As Impa passed, she gave Zelda a small pat on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you well again, too, my dear.”

Zelda smiled in thanks and gave Impa’s hand a small squeeze. With that, the two padded back into the house, leaving Link staring at the ground and Zelda staring at Link.

After a long, tension filled silence, Zelda spoke in a low voice “Lin-“ 

Before she could even say his name, he turned and walked away from her, his hands balled up in fists and his jaw set. She sat alone in the darkness, only the moonlight illuminating Link’s back as he disappeared into the trees at the the top of the hill. She felt a tear slip from her eye, accompanied by a heavy sigh, and resigned to the room she would share with Paya for the rest of the night, though she knew she would not sleep at all. 

—————————————


	2. Bridge the Gap

————

Zelda’s palms were sweaty and her stomach was tied in knots. She fiddled with the fork in her hand, pushing her omelet around instead of eating it. Link hadn’t been seen since he disappeared into the forest the night before and she was becoming increasingly worried with each passing hour. She knew that he was more than capable of taking care himself, of course, but the events of the previous night had startled her. Her fingertips traced the discolorations on her neck as she remembered the fear she felt. Link’s animalistic instinct for self preservation had nearly gotten her killed, though it was her own fault. She had provoked him when he was clearly distraught within his dreams. What if he hadn’t recognized her...?

She shuddered and shook her head as if to shake off the question. 

“Not hungry, my child?” Impa inquired as she peered over Zelda’s shoulder. The princess lightly shook her head, poking at a piece of mushroom. She let out a light sigh and gave up on the food. 

“Impa, you do realize that I am essentially your age, yes? I’m not a child anymore...”

“Ah, but where are your wisdom marks? Why is your face so much prettier than mine?” The old woman joked as she examined Zelda’s face, poking and pinching her cheek a little. Zelda playfully rolled her eyes and gently pushed Impa’s hand away. Impa slowly sat down beside Zelda and smiled. “You are young, my dear. Your spirit may be as old as mine, but your body and your heart are still young and full of beauty and life. Wisdom does not come with age, it comes with living.”

“So I lack wisdom?” Zelda asked, a little offended. She had always prided herself on her extensive knowledge. “How can that be when there is so much that I already know?”

“Knowledge is not wisdom. With experience, knowledge turns into wisdom. You are very wise in regards to research, in sealing evil, in dealing with loss...” Zelda flinched as she remembered her mother, who died when she was young. A beautiful woman, who was indeed wise in her own ways as well. Then she saw her father, the champions, her champion... “But, dear girl, you have not truly lived. You have not seen love, marriage, motherhood, friendships and betrayals. Soon you will not be a child and will be called to lead. Don’t let these fleeting moments slip past you.”

They sat in silence after that as Zelda pondered Impa’s words. She was right, there was so much that Zelda had yet to do. She had been restrained, somewhat imprisoned, for her whole life. Her training started when she was so young and her childhood was stripped of anything that didn’t pertain to royalty or the prophecy. She had never been free. 

———————————-

It was late afternoon when Zelda lost her patience and decided to go search for Link. She looked everywhere around the village. She had asked all of the shopkeepers, Dorian, Paya, even the young sisters Koko and Cottla...no sign of him anywhere. After a good hour of searching and a hefty bribe to the Great Fairy, she found him on the outskirts of the village. He stood at the edge of a cliff that overlooked all of northern Hyrule. His Hylian shield lay next to his feet with his quiver and bow, the master sword just barely held between his fingers. He was staring at the castle, which was now bare and completely desolate. The malice was gone, but the impact of Ganon’s century long stay haunted Hyrule. The castle was no longer the symbol of hope and prosperity that had previously stood at the center of the nation. 

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Zelda spoke softly, making sure to keep her distance this time. Link’s hand instinctively closed around the hilt of the master sword, but he showed no other signs that he had heard her. He was eerily still and it set her nerves on edge. “Link?”

No movement.

No acknowledgement.

Nothing.

“Link!” Zelda shouted. The knight jumped and quickly spun around into a defensive stance, sword at the ready and eyes sharp. Zelda stood tall and strong, trying to no be intimidated by that razor sharp blade he wielded so naturally. “Where have you been?”

Link’s defense faded as he recognized her and let the sword drop back to his side once more. He merely shrugged in reply to her question and turned back to pick up the rest of his gear.

“Here? The whole time?” She pried further, taking a cautious step towards him. He shrugged again, took one last look at the castle and moved to leave her once again. She wouldn’t have any of it this time, her frustration having festered all day. She caught his arm by his bracer and held him back, trying her hardest to keep her resolve. She saw his jaw clench and he flashed her a warning with his eyes. Something about him was off. He was avoiding her. He was angry. “Talk to me.”

Link’s features softened as he stared at her. His mind was racing, his lips twitching with things to say, yet he couldn’t speak. His hand closed over hers with a surprising gentleness as he removed it from his bracer. He held it and met her eyes and for that second, Zelda felt everything disappear. It was just the two of them in that field. That second stretched into longer moments. She felt his heart pulsing through his palms, felt his callouses tickling her skin, his light breaths suddenly piercing her ears. The breeze turned into a gust of wind, whipping through her hair and rustling her clothes. She heard a muffled scream and she saw the master sword illuminate with a dim blue light. 

Her whole body was suddenly wracked with pain. So much pain. Her nerve endings lit on fire and she cried out, but no sound came. Her limbs felt dead and a pressure so intense weighed on her lungs that she couldn’t breathe. She could hear the mechanical whirring of Guardians behind her, but she was now paralyzed. She couldn’t turn around, she couldn’t fight, she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs burned and her vision started to darken...

And just as it started, it was gone. She gasped as she returned to the present, ripping her hand from Link’s and falling away. He caught her before she hit the ground, his eyes now filled with concern and confusion. 

She was trembling, her eyes welling with tears and she felt the nerve memory of that excruciating pain. Link scooped her up in his arms and immediately took her back to the village. Her sobbing grew loud and her trembling becoming more violent.

“Good Goddess, what happened?! We could hear her cries from the front of the village!” Impa exclaimed as they met Link in front of the main compound. Link, ever silent, just worriedly glanced between the old woman and the girl writhing in his arms. Villagers had come out of their homes to investigate the commotion and Link could feel all of their eyes on them. As they hurried up the stairs and into Paya’s room, Zelda’s cries became hysterical. She clawed at herself as Link laid her on the bed. 

“Zelda,” Impa started, bringing her hand to feel the princess’s forehead and cheeks. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

“It...it hurts!” She forced out between gritted teeth. 

“Paya, go fetch some water, a rag, and some Hyrule herb. ”Paya nodded, wide eyes lingering on the princess before she ran from the room. Impa turned her attention back to Zelda. “What hurts, my dear?”

“Everything!!” Zelda screamed. Her faced was flushed and sweaty, her eyes beginning to turn bloodshot. Link stood helplessly in the corner, his heart racing but his hands hanging dumbly at his sides. Not a word slipped past his silent lips, though he was screaming on the inside. What happened? Had he hurt her...again? Was he this much of a danger to her?

“Link!” Impa called as Paya rushed back into the room, her arms filled with a bucket of water and several small glass jars. “Come. Help her.”

Link didn’t know what he could possibly do, but he dropped to the floor in front of the bed and grabbed hold of Zelda’s hands. She let out another wail of pain as Impa laid her on her back, taking the jars from Paya and opening each one. Link could see that each one was labeled ‘Hyrule Herb’, yet it came in all different forms. One was an oil, another was encapsulated, one was just ground, and some were whole. 

“Zelda, I need you to take this.” Impa tilted her head up slightly, slipping the encapsulated herb past Zelda’s lips. With a sip of water, Zelda swallowed the capsule and let out another cry. Paya had begun dabbing the oil in patterns on various parts of Zelda’s body as Impa muttered quiet prayers to the Goddess. Link had no idea what was going on or how to help, though he had a sudden flash back to that day in the swamp...the day he died. He remembered pain ripping through each muscle fiber, he remembered the weight on his chest, the way his throat burned with each breath. He remembered seeing the guardian approaching the girl in gold, his princess, and he remembered getting up to fight one last time. He remembered the pride he felt as she placed herself in between them and harnessed that power, that blinding golden light. He remembered feeling calm, even as he was dying. He saw her golden hair, those emerald green eyes, hearing her sweet voice...

“I think it’s working...” Paya interrupted Link’s thoughts as she closed the jar of herb oil. Zelda had stopped writhing and her cries had softened to a low whimper. Link’s hands tightened around Zelda and she met his eyes. 

“Zelda...” He whispered. A single tear trailed down her cheek as she lay there, staring into his worried eyes. That was the first time she had heard him speak in over a century. She was scared and confused. She had no idea what had happened or where she and Link stood, but she did know that as darkness started to cloud her vision, hearing her name slip past Link’s lips could calm her like nothing else. 

———

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, what just happened? Weird magic shit, that’s what. Stay tuned for some future explanation.


	3. With or Without You

Zelda shifted uncomfortably on her horse and readjusted the cloak around her shoulders. She and Link had been riding for well over three hours now and daylight was beginning to fade. She had asked him if they could stop and camp soon, to which he simply nodded, yet didn’t give her any indication of when that would be.

A few days after Zelda’s...episode, which nobody could explain, Impa had suggested that they make their rounds and visit their remaining kingdom. Upon their initial arrival in the village, Paya had been kind enough to send word of their survival and triumph to each region and to Robbie and Purah. They would visit their closest friends first and then move from there. 

Link had resumed his silence for the most part. He was no longer avoiding her, but would speak as little as necessary. It was like they had gone back 100 years, before she got him to open up to her. He was silently bearing his burdens again, afraid the world would see his weakness. 

They came upon a large rock structure with a nook carved into the side and Link pulled his horse off to the side of the road. Zelda followed suit and dismounted, stretching the soreness from her arms and legs. 

“Could we stay here for the night?” She questioned, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. Link nodded and began to set up camp. Zelda watched with curiosity as he flipped through the Sheikah slate and selected certain items. Those items materialized in the air and landed at his feet. He quickly set up a fire and began preparing dinner for the two of them. Link had been rather successful with his hunt the previous day, so they each had a decent sized drumstick from a bird and a skewer of stamella mushrooms.

Zelda nodded in thanks as he handed her a plate of food. As she munched on the mushrooms, her minded drifted back to that day in Kakariko. She had awoken from her sleep with nothing more than a dull headache, some scratches from herself and no explanation of what had happened to her. Impa had told her that she also did not know what was happening, so she decided it best to give her the herb laced with a sedative and start sending prayers to the Goddess. Whatever it was, it hadn’t happened again, so Impa felt that it was safe for the pair to begin their tour. 

“Thank you, that was delicious.” Link nodded in response as he chomped on his third drumstick. She laughed to herself as she remembered that he was such a glutton. If anything was wrong, food would always help, even just a little bit. Or at least it used to...

These days Link seemed vacant. He was as vigilant as ever, all of his fighter’s instincts strong as he is still her protector, yet he seemed like he wasn’t always there. He frequently got lost in his mind and she would have to prod him to get his attention. He spoke very little, even for him, and it seemed as though he lacked any energy. He moved almost robotically, the routine having been engrained in his body. Regardless, he still trained with his sword every morning before setting out on the road, he still kept close to her and scouted areas for safety, and he still put her needs before his own. 

After finishing his food, Link stood and brushed the dirt from his pants, grabbed his shield and Master Sword and set off to make rounds of the camp. He did this every night before they slept to make sure they weren’t going to be in any danger. He would usually be gone for around twenty minutes or so, but tonight was different. He had been gone nearly an hour and it had her worried. She set down her book and stood, scanning the horizon with the limited daylight there was left. With no luck, she began to walk around the campsite. Before the Calamity, Link had taught her how to track when he went hunting, so she followed the signs of overturned leaves, broken branches, footprints in the dirt and after several minutes of searching, she came to a river. Link was kneeling in the river, what must have been ice old water swimming around his waist. His sword and shield lay on the bank as he stared at the quickening current around him.

“Link!” Zelda called as she rushed towards him. She didn’t waste a second, unhooking her cloak and kicking off her boots. She gasped as she stepped into the water and began to wade towards him. The water was truly freezing and she immediately started to shiver, yet she kept going. She dropped to her knees in front of him, having to fight the current to keep her body up right. 

“Link...” He was still, eyes glazed and skin greying. Zelda took his face in her hands and forced her eyes to his. They slowly focused and as he began to really see her, she felt a familiar stretch of time. Link seemed lucid, yet frozen in front of her. Time around her seemed to slow to a halt. It was happening again. 

This time, there was no pain, no guardians, no screaming. She felt herself beginning to sink. It felt like a weight had been attached to her stomach and it made it a struggle to breathe. She felt the cold and she saw darkness everywhere. The kind that hides no light, a darkness that pulls you in and holds you captive. It was closing in on her as the water rose higher to her chest. She felt sorrow. She felt the loss of her champions, her mother and father, of every pour soul that lost their life in the Calamity. She choked on the heartache as the water reached her chin. When it covered her lips, she went numb. She couldn’t feel her body any longer and she felt no sorrow, no happiness, no anger. She felt nothing. As she closed her eyes, she resigned her fight. Nothing mattered...she wasn’t needed anymore....she had no reason to go on....

Her eyes flew open and she gasped for air. Her hands still gripped the sides of Link’s face and as she came back to her senses, his eyes grew wide with concern. His hands slipped around her waist to steady her. 

“What happened?” He asked. Tears had started to stream down her cheeks. “Is it happening again?” 

Zelda didn’t answer, she just stared at her knight as she cried. In all her life, experiencing all her loss, she had never felt the depth of depression as she did just now. A switch in him flipped as he saw her distress and he became her knight once again, carefully scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back to their camp. They both shivered as their wet bodies and clothes met the night’s wind. Link set her down close to the fire and sat across from her. 

“What’s happening?” He asked after a few moments of silence, gingerly swiping his thumb across her cheeks to clear them of her tears. 

“I don’t know.” She whispered, bringing her knees to her chest. She shivered once again, prompting Link to place his dry cloak around her shoulders. “It’s like time slows down. The first time, I felt fear and incredible pain. I had never been so scared. But this time...Link, it was awful. I felt worthless, like I meant nothing. I was sinking...drowning...and I didn’t care. I didn’t want to fight. I didn’t want to live. There was nothing left for me in this world and I didn’t care to feel.” 

Link was quiet, taking in her words. His jaw was set and his brows were drawn together. After a few moments, he asked “Do you still feel this way?”

Zelda shook her head, releasing a shaky breath. “No. The strange part...it didn’t feel like it was me. I didn’t feel like I was myself...like I was experiencing someone else entirely.” 

Link merely nodded, pondering her explanation. He avoided her gaze and his eyes started to glaze over like they were when she found him in the river. It struck a thought in her...

Could it really be?

————————

The rising sun warmed Zelda’s cheeks and gently prodded her from her slumber. She stretched lightly, but then stopped as she realized she was laying on another body. She looked up to find Link still asleep, one arm underneath his head and the other slumped around her waist. His chest rose and fell with even, relaxed breaths. She smiled as she heard him snore softly and snuggled closer into his warmth. It was not often that Link truly slept, maybe once a week at best. He said he had learned as a young boy how to drop into a meditative state to rest his mind and body, leaving him still aware to observe his surroundings. 

She did not remember how they ended up in this position, but she didn’t mind. The night had been cold and as the fire dwindled down to nothing but embers while they slept, she must have sought warmth from him. She stayed still in his arms for an hour at least, fiddling with loose strings on his Champions tunic as the sun rose higher in the sky. Link shifted and groaned slightly, taking in a big inhale that eventually turned into a yawn. As he yawned and stretched, he tightened his arm around her, pulling her body flush with his. Her cheeks turned blush, but she didn’t move. She enjoyed the close contact with her Knight specifically and his body heat and didn’t want it to end. Another moment passed and then she felt Link’s body stiffen underneath her and he held a breath. He must be awake now. She kept still with eyes closed, not giving away that she was also awake and childishly waiting to see his reaction. Her heart rate quickened as he shifted beneath her again and brought his hand to her face, moving a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. She felt him place the most gentle kiss onto her forehead before tucking her head under his chin and wrapping both arms tighter around her. She was surprised at his affection, but loved every second of it.

“You terrify me, Princess.” He whispered, not knowing that she could hear him. “With you, I have too much. Without you, I have nothing.”

————————————-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know they’re somewhat short chapters, sorry about that. Can anyone guess wtf is going on with Zelda? And Link? You’ll find out soon enough.


	4. Always

“I didn’t know you had a home!” Zelda gaped at Link as they rode up to the Deuling Peaks stable. They were headed to see Purah in Hateno Village and Link mentioned that they could stay at his house. Zelda had tried to watch over him as much as she could over the last year since he woke up in the shrine, but sometimes her fight with Ganon would swell particularly strong and it would take all but her own life to combat him. This must have been one of those times. 

Link nodded, keeping silent. Surprise. Unknowing that Zelda had heard him that morning by the fire, he had withdrawn himself again, hiding behind his stone face stare and answering anything she had to say with shrugs or a shake of his head. Zelda had been initially grateful for the silence as it seemed like any time they spoke, she made things worse. Now, she felt as though it was suffocating her. He was hiding from her. Perhaps it was because she terrified him, as he had admitted to the morning air when he held her so closely, yet she didn’t understand why. 

“So how long have you had the house in Hateno Village? Did you have that…before?” She asked, mustering up the courage to break the tension. Link shook his head, keeping his eyes forward on the road.

“‘Bout six months.” 

“Ah.” She wondered if he felt as awkward as she did. She wondered if he felt anything at all. “What’s it like?”

“Small.” He answered curtly. If he did, he wasn’t showing it. He seemed void of emotion or interest in anything except their journey to Hateno. Zelda decided to resume their silence, finding that speaking wasn’t helping her at all. She released a quiet sigh and resettled her position on her horse.

After a few minutes, they finally reached the stables. The sun was just setting and the night air was becoming chilly. Zelda nearly fell off the horse as she tried to dismount, but Link quickly caught her. He made sure she was steady on her feet and then turned away from her before she could even thank him, talking to the stable hand about boarding their horses and getting a couple of beds for the night. Zelda frowned, a little perturbed at Link’s avoidance. He seemed almost cold towards her now. He waved her over as the stablehands took the horses to board, yet didn’t speak or meet her eyes. Instead he just lead her into the Inn, pointing to the two beds that were theirs. Aside from the employees, who knew Link but didn’t seem to recognize her, they seemed to be the only guests staying there that night. She sat down softly on her bed, watching him as he dumped all of his gear on the floor next to his own. 

“Hungry?” He asked, glancing up at her quickly. She nodded and watched as he walked outside the Inn, sheikah slate and Master Sword in hand. He sat cross legged in front of the fire and cooking pot, flipping through the slate for ingredients to make them dinner. She followed him quietly, sitting across from him by the fire. A few minutes passed as Link made them some spiced chicken and rice, only the sounds of the sizzling food and the nearby crickets filling the air. Link handed her the plate of food and she thanked him with a nod, the two of them eating in silence. As soon as Link was done eating, he stood and walked away, past the nearby shrine and out of sight. Zelda watched as he disappeared, assuming he was was going of to make his rounds and secure their area. She starting to get a little angry at his change of heart towards her. She didn’t really know what she expected when they rid the world of Ganon, but it certainly wasn’t that her knight…her friend… would give her the cold shoulder. What had she done to make him so distant? Was it because of that night in Kakariko? Her strange visions? She couldn’t figure out what was troubling him so deeply and knew that she wouldn’t be able to get him to talk to her about it. 

After finishing her dinner, Zelda decided to go on her own walk. Protection be damned, she needed to clear her head and heart. The air was chilly, but fresh, and she welcomed it. It was a nice change to the smell of the rotting black and purple malice that sloughed off of the castle walls. She shuddered as she thought of it, almost being able to hear the gurgling and gasping noises that it would make. Clearing the thoughts from her mind, she stared at the moon. She took slow, thoughtful steps, her mind wandering to what she should do after they visit Hateno Village. She should return to the castle, she supposed. To see what is left of it and start trying to rebuild. How do you rebuild, though, when everything you knew is now gone? Aside from the actual castle, the entire Royal family and guard was diminished. She was all that was left. She and her appointed knight. Would Link even want to come with her? Would he help her rebuild or would he want to retire? Goddess knows he has certainly earned it. She would have to ask him when things calmed down from whatever was going on between them. 

Wait…what was that sound? 

Zelda stopped walking, her ears perking up like a cat’s. She thought she heard a pop of air, but when she turned around, there was nothing behind her. Paranoid, she thought to herself. She resumed walking and her thoughts of Link and the castle. She would not only have to rebuild the castle walls, but the army, the staff, the town and its inhabitants. She would have to recruit, which meant earning the trust and loyalty of the citizens of the remaining-

There it was again. Zelda spun on her heels this time, positive that she had heard something, yet she still saw nothing. She spun her gaze around in different directions, eyes squinting and ears sharp as she waited for a single sound or movement. 

Nothing.

“Link?” She called, her voice shaking slightly. “Is that you?” 

When she received no answer, she let a sigh escape her lips and decided to turn back to the stables. Maybe she was just tired and imagining things. Either way, she thought that a warm bed sounded perfect. However, she had only taken a few steps when her blood nearly curdled in her veins. There was another pop of air, this time accompanied with a faint laugh. Then, directly in front of her, the air began to shimmer gold and red. The leaves and grass beneath her began to swirl and sway, the wind picking up her hair. She blinked and it was there. A tall, lanky figure, dressed in a blood red suit. The moonlight glinted off of the sickle in it’s right hand and an upside down Sheikah eye stared her in the face. 

Yiga.

She screamed, the sound tearing through her throat before she could even breath. She backed away, turning and breaking into a full blown sprint away from the Yiga soldier. He quickly followed her, his laugh echoing in her ears. She didn’t know where to run, she just kept going. He was gaining on her and all she could think to do was pray to the Goddess to protect her as her powers had dwindled since the defeat of Ganon. She was not quick enough, however, and a gloved hand caught her arm and threw her to the ground. Her vision went dark as her head hit the ground, her lungs feeling like she was breathing white hot fire. In an instant, the Yiga was on top of her pinning her hands to the ground as she writhed underneath him.

“Look what we have here…” He slithered up to her face, the upside down eye boring down onto her. He cocked his head to the side and she could feel his smirk against her cheek as his bony fingers groped her body beneath him, violating her. “The pretty Princess of Hyrule.” She could hear him hissing in her ear like a snake and whimpered as he pulled back and flipped the sickle in his hand. He straddled her waist, rearing his arm back. “You’ll have to pay for what you’ve done. Lord Ganon will be avenged.” 

Zelda let out another shriek as the sickle swung down. She managed to twist her body uin time that it stabbed into the dirt, but she could not escape its slice across her left arm. The Yiga man laughed as she cried out, blood immediately spilling from her tunic into the dirt. He reared back one more time and she squeezed her eyes tight, preparing for the blow, but it never came. With a thud and a grunt, her body was freed of its captor. She opened her eyes to see none other than Link, rolling and wrestling with the red soldier a few feet away. With a swift kick to his gut, the man flew into the rock face next to them. Link flipped to his feet and drew the Master Sword, the silver blade illuminating the darkness around them. The Yiga charged with a sickening laugh and Link dodged, right, then left, then with a backflip. It was as if time froze. Link was suspended mid-air, the Yiga man stuck in a previous attack. She could see Link bring back the Master Sword and then, in the blink of an eye, he charged forward faster than she had ever seen him move before. He swung and slashed as the Yiga soldier just helplessly stood there. With one final slash and spin, Link thrust the sword backwards into him. Zelda sat still, completely paralyzed, save for the blood trickling down her arm. She stared as Link turned around, placing his boot against the Yiga’s chest and sliding the blade free. The soldier collapsed to the ground, barely in one piece and completely dead.

Link finally walked over to where she sat, his face glowing gold as he got closer. She hadn’t even realized that she was using her magic, about five minutes too late. She had erected something like a forcefield around herself, its brilliant gold light bathing the area around them. Link placed his hand against it, calling to her softly.

“Zelda.” She trembled, hearing him say her name in such a gentle, worried way. Her shield did not lower. 

She stared warily at the Yiga’s lifeless body, nearly getting sick as she saw his blood soaked suit. Her eyes shifted back to Link’s. He looked stern and vigilant, his normal knightly self. Yet, he held concern for her too. He was no longer cold to her, he was scared for her. “Zelda.” 

The gold light slowly faded and Link was instantly by her side. The Master Sword clinking as it fell to the ground next to them. He was worriedly checking her over and addressing the wound on her upper arm. “We need to get you back to the stables.”

Zelda didn’t move, her eyes glued to the dead body a few yards from her. Link followed her gaze and his jaw hardened. He turned back to her and swooped her up, one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. Her head fell against his shoulder and she closed her eyes. She couldn’t feel the pain in her arm or head anymore. She could only see Link slicing the man to pieces and kicking him off of his sword. They were silent as he hurriedly carried her back to the stables.

She didn’t say a word as Link set her down in the grass, just a few yards behind the stables. He ran back and talked to the stable hand, explaining the situation, never taking his eyes off of her. The stable hand quickly left, then reappeared with a small roll of fabric and a jar of honey and herbs. Link quickly thanked the man and darted back over to her. 

“Ready?” He breathed, setting the bandages in his lap as he sat next to her. He fingered the hem of her tunic, tugging it a little as if to get her permission to remove it. She didn’t move. She felt Link’s fingers hook underneath her chin and force her eyes to his. He arched his eyebrows as if repeating his silent question, to which she just stared. Her eyes were glazed over, lost in her mind. She seemed nearly catatonic. Link worked quickly, but carefully, sliding the tunic up, off of her right arm, over her head, and then slow as a snail, peeling it down her left. His eyes trailed over her. Her exposed skin was glowing softly in the light of the moon and his face flushed as he realized she was left in just her undershirt. He swallowed hard and averted his eyes, he switched his focus to her arm. His eyebrows knitted together as he examined it, then eventually softened. He was going to need more than what he had, he thought to himself as he looked over to the bandages and herbs. He jumped up and grabbed the sheikah slate off of his belt, quickly flipping through the inventory. He found his last fairy tonic and watched as it materialized in his hand, then sank back down next to her. “This is gonna hurt...”

When he received no response, he sighed and dumped the bottle of fairy tonic into her wound. Zelda didn’t even flinch as it bubbled and foamed up. Link watched as her tissue sewed itself back together, blood continuing to drip down her arm. He wiped away at it with a section of bandage and then looked up at her. Her eyes were fixed to the woods behind them, yet not seeing anything in particular. 

“Hey…” He prodded. Speaking was never easy for him, he preferred to keep his words to himself, but she needed to come back to him. When nothing changed, he gently took her face in both hands. “Look at me.”

And she did. Her eyes cleared as they met his. They stared at each other for a few moments, Link’s thumbs swiping across her cheeks. She didn’t even realize that tears had begun to slide down from her eyes. 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have le-“ Link started, but she cut him off by dropping her head down, her face pressing into his neck. Silent sobs wracked her body and he could feel her tears against his skin. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her close to him as she cried. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but she eventually calmed. She nuzzled further into him and he could feel her grimace against him.

 

“That shit really hurts.” He chuckled. He had never heard her swear before. He smiled against her hair and muttered a soft apology, noticing how she smelled of grass and lavender. He drank it in, feeling her finally relax against him. After a few minutes, he reluctantly pulled away from her, gently holding the side of her face.

“Are you okay?” He asked. She nodded, her eyes trailing around his face.

“I’ve never been so scared.” She whispered. He gave a light chuckle, thinking she had to be joking, but quickly stopped when she gave him a pointed look.

“You single handedly faced the Calamity for one hundred years, Zelda. You held back the beast all by yourself...” He was honestly so confused. “How could a Yiga soldier get to you like this?”

“Yes, but…Ganon never touched me. Of course he was terrifying and full of evil, but he wasn’t human and he never touched me. He seemed so surreal, but that Yiga man…he cut me. He pinned me down...he touched me…he spoke to me.” Tears threatened her eyes again, but she was finally able to hold them back. “It was just him and I, face to face. It was personal. He told me I’d pay for what I did.”

Link could hear her fear as she spoke, her voice trembling along with her hands. His anger flared at the thought of anyone, let alone anything so evil, laying unwanted hands on his princess. He pulled her back into him and held her tightly. “That will never happen again. I’ve got you.”

__________________

After a while, Link returned to tending to Zelda’s wound. The fairy tonic had repaired all of the internal damage, but she still had a pretty large slice across her upper arm. She watched Link grind the herbs and honey together into a paste, spreading it over the top of her cut and wrapping clean bandages around it. Just as he was finishing up, they heard strange sounds coming from the stables. They listened quietly and found it to be laughter and…music? Zelda couldn’t remember the last time they had heard any music. 

“Wanna go check it out?” Link asked with a small smile, wiping his fingers clean on the grass. Zelda nodded and he helped her to her feet. The laughter and music grew louder as the neared the stable and they realized that a group of about five travelers had arrived and quickly made themselves at home. They were passing around bottles of what looked like wild berry wine, sitting around the fire as they sang. One traveler had an interesting looking instrument, one Zelda had never seen before. It was a large piece of wood that had a neck on one end and several strings pulled across the whole piece. 

“Heeeeyyyy! We have more guests!!” One of the travelers, a very tipsy woman, called as Link and Zelda neared them. Her friends around her cheered, immediately shoving a bottle of WildWine into Link’s hands. Nobody seemed to realize who they were, let alone care that Zelda was so immodestly dressed and wounded. Link looked at Zelda, eyebrows arched in question as if to ask what she wanted to do. She simply shrugged, grabbing the bottle and bringing it to her lips. Link grinned in return and the two joined the group around the fire, listening to the beautiful sounds that the bizarre instrument was making. The man playing it plucked and strummed the strings, humming a melody to go with it. His eyes were closed as he got lost in his own music and he smiled as the woman next to him harmonized with him. 

“What do you call that instrument?” Zelda asked when he finished, taking another swig from the bottle and tried passing it to Link, who gently shook his head. He needed to stay vigilant for her, especially given the nights events. Evidently, even with Ganon gone there were still threats to her safety. 

“My father invented it when I was a boy. People thought he was a kook to be honest, so it never really caught on. I think he called it a… guitar? Yeah that sounds right.” The man took his own sip of the sweet, berry flavored alcohol. “I always loved listening to him play it though, so I learned and decided to carry it on when he passed.”

“It sounds beautiful.” Zelda smiled, leaning into Links shoulder a little. He could see the wine loosening her up quite a bit. “Keep playing!”

The man happily obliged, launching off into an upbeat song and the other travelers clapped and cheered.

“Oh, I love this one!”

“Honey come dance!”

“This is one is my favorite!”

As most of the group stood and began to dance, Zelda flashed Link a devilish smile.

“Oh no.” Link said, shaking his head. “No way. I don’t dance.”

“Neither do I.” Zelda giggle, stumbling slightly as she tried to stand. Link steadied her and she took the opportunity to grab his hands and yank him to his feet. “But tonight, we do.”

“Zelda…” Link breathed, shifting uncomfortably between his feet, eyeing her warily. “…I don’t…” but Zelda had already started swaying with the music, his hands still locked in hers. She closed her eyes and smiled, rocking back and forth with the tempo. “…dance…”

Then, Zelda placed Link’s hands on her hips and stepped closer to him. She wrapped her good arm around his neck and placed a simple kiss on his cheek. His heart beat quickened as she leaned up to his ear and whispered quietly “Just tonight.”

With that, she started to sway her hips side to side in time with the music. Link felt his blood surge as she stepped closer and pressed her body into his, trying to get him to move along with her. He had no idea where these feelings were coming from or if he’d had them before he lost his memory, but ever since he had seen Zelda standing in the field after their great battle, his affection had grown for her. Her eyes had shone like they never had before, he noticed the way her golden hair fell around her face like it was silk, and her voice was sweet like honey...even when she yelled at him. He slowly relented, feeling her breath hot against his neck. Their feet stepped together in time with the song and Link slowly grew more confident, suddenly wanting to feel more. He slid one hand around to her lower back, keeping her pressed against him, while the other slid down her good arm. He grabbed her hand and stepped back, letting her twirl under her arm before he pulled her back in. Zelda giggled as she tripped a little, landing against his chest with a small thud. He smiled down at her, noticing how her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were wide. She had her own smile painted on her lips as she stared up at him. Dear Goddess, she was so beautiful.

He had no idea how he was actually dancing or how he hadn’t tripped at all. His feet seemed to be moving of their own accord, matching Zelda’s perfectly. He realized it was a little like swordplay, just without the weapons and the enemies. 

Zelda hummed to herself and rested her head against Link’s shoulder. He breathed in her scent again as they continued to sway together and suddenly, he saw something else.

He was standing in the Library in the castle. Zelda stood before him pouring over a book about ancient sheikah relics. She dropped her head, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. “I wish I had more time for my research and studies. Father is always scolding me about how I don’t take my training seriously. I do everything I can, I have tried….everything. And still, these powers that are my birthright evade me.” She looked at a silent Link, her spirit broken. “I am honestly glad I have you, Link. You understand… you understand both sides. I feel like you really see my true self, just as much as this destiny I am supposed to fulfill.” She stepped closer to him, closing the gap and placing a hand on his shoulder. “I know my behavior towards you in the past was disgraceful, but you’ll never know how thankful I am to have you by my side.”

They stood still, staring at each other and suddenly Link felt an urge to comfort her. He took one of her hands in his and gave it a small squeeze. Zelda blushed, eyes wide and bright and before either of them knew what happened, she had leaned forward and captured his lips in hers. It was soft and brief. Link stood still, shocked by her sudden move. Zelda pulled back almost immediately.

“I-I’m…I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” She refused to meet Link’s eyes and immediately turned back to the desk, slamming her book closed and clutching it to her chest. She turned back to him and stammered again. “I d-don’t….uh…I’m sorry.”

With that, she fled the library, leaving Link standing there alone. He placed a finger to his lips, feeling the burn where hers had touched. 

 

Link pulled back slightly from Zelda and stopped his swaying. She looked at him, confused and concerned. As she saw the look on his face, she understood. She stopped dancing as well and the two of them stood awkwardly still in the group of travelers. 

“You remember?” She asked quietly, suddenly sobered by the revelation. All Link could do was stare at her. He remembered. He remembered how she felt for him. He had always been more than her knight and even more than just her friend. She cared for him…she loved him. She had tried to suppress these feelings in the line of duty, but in the end it’s how she harnessed her powers. Her love for him burned stronger with each passing year that she waited for him to rise from that slumber, but when he did it didn’t seem fair to press that upon him. So she kept quiet and kept it to herself. 

“How long?” He whispered against the music. She seemed to hear him just fine and dropped her gaze to the grass. She shifted back and forth between her feet and clutched her arms across her chest. When she didn’t answer, he tried again. “Zel?”

She glanced up, heart fluttering at the new nickname. She gave him a sad smile as she dropped her arms. She reached forward and placed the lightest kiss onto his cheek. Her lips lingered next to his ear and before she turned to walk into the Inn, she whispered. 

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, that little Yiga bitch. 
> 
> And wait, is Link catching some feels? We will see more from his point of view next chapter :O


	5. Nothing

The pair set out for Hateno the next morning. They hadn’t spoken since Link had remembered Zelda’s feelings for him. He had stayed out long after she had turned in for the night and had stolen a bottle of the wild wine from the group. He sat a few yards away from the stables, sipping on the wine and trying to remember anything he could about Zelda and their time before the Calamity, yet he came up with nothing. After a few hours of frustration and an empty bottle, he gave up and retreated to his own bed. 

Zelda shifted on her horse, adjusting the bandage on her arm. When Beedle had stopped by that morning, he had an old Hylian shirt. Zelda decided to buy it (with Link’s money) and then ripped the left sleeve off so that she could easily access her wound and not be immodestly dressed. Thankfully, the rest of the trip was rather uneventful. It took about two and a half more days to reach Hateno Village. There were no more places to stop along the way, so Link had built them a campfire both nights and kept watch. With them out in the open, he knew they couldn’t assure safety. Zelda offered to watch first to let him sleep, but he refused. Needless to say, a hangover and not sleeping for two days makes for a very moody and tired knight. They were both grateful to reach the village by the end of the third day. Link led her up the hill and across the bridge and she smiled as she saw the house he had spoken of. He was right, it was small, but it was perfect. They stowed their horses in the makeshift stable on the side of the house and then Link showed her around a little. 

“Bathroom.” He pointed to the wooden structure towards the back. “You can bathe in there if you like.” Zelda nodded as they moved inside. The walls were lined with weapons he’d collected. Bows, swords and shields of every kind she could think of. There was a dining room table with dusty dishes and a vase with a dead flower. “I guess it’s been a while since I’ve come home.” He sighed, and pointed up the stairs. “Bed’s upstairs. That’s pretty much it.”

“It’s great.” Zelda whispered with a smile. They stood there for a few moments, just looking at each other. She couldn’t read him once again, his eyes blank. She knew he was tired though. “I think we’re safe here…if you want to go sleep a little.” 

Link quickly jumped at the opportunity, and was already halfway up the stairs before she could laugh. He turned around, his foot on the top step and his tired eyes gazed down at her with concern. “Stay close, please.”

“Of course.” She shooed him with her hands and he nodded, disappearing to his loft. She heard a thud as he dropped down on the bed and then only a few minutes later, soft snores filled the house. Zelda went about her own business, tidying up the house, dusting and replacing the dead flower with new wildflowers that had been growing in his yard. After finding the house clean and nothing left for her to do, she trudged up the stairs and took a seat at Link’s desk. He was sprawled out over the bed, one arm hanging off the edge and face smashed against the pillow. She smirked and turned to the desk, deciding to open up the first book she saw. It was a book on carpentry, showcasing how to build certain things and why different types of wood were preferred over others. While she would like to say that it would have intrigued her, she quickly grew bored of the subject and promptly fell asleep, head resting on her arms on top of the book.

——————— 

Link awoke with a start, blinking quickly to reorient himself. The memories he had been able to retrieve had been playing on a loop in his mind throughout their entire trip to Hateno and even haunting his dreams. He tried to specifically focus on the ones of him and Zelda, but those were few and far between. He desperately tried to wrack his brain for more. Had they ever been anything more than Knight and Princess? Did his past self return the feelings that Zelda apparently had for him? Had they ever kissed other than that time in the library? He couldn’t answer those questions. 

He wiped the sleep from his eyes, seeing the moonlight peeking through the window. Zelda was hunched over his desk, sound asleep on top of his book about carpentry. How odd, he thought. She would read anything she could get her hands on though, so it was hardly out of place. He placed the blanket from his bed around her shoulders and quietly made his way downstairs. He looked around the house, noticing the new flowers and how clean it now seemed to be, and made a mental note to thank Zelda later. One thing they did not have, though, was food or clean clothes. Food would have to wait until the General Store opened in the morning but he decided he should probably change and wash his clothes. He made sure Zelda was still asleep and then stripped down to his under shorts, taking them and a bar of soap out to the pond. He washed his own clothes and then moved to Zelda’s blue tunic, frowning when he could see through the sleeve where the Yiga’s sickle had sliced through. He would need to take it to the clothing shop tomorrow and see they could sew it up for him as well. For now, he just washed it and then hung all of their clothes on a line to dry. 

Content with his work, he made his way back inside and took a seat at his dining table. Now he really was left with nothing but his thoughts. Everything he saw was in pieces. Different flashes of different memories, all out of order and so confusing. Trying to sort them out made his head ache. Throughout most, he could see Zelda’s golden hair and emerald green eyes, shining like jewels. She would smile softly at him in some, yell at him in others. He remembered feeling confused a lot. He remembered consoling her after her father had scolded her about her training. He remembered saving her from the Yiga clan for the first time, and then again the other night. He remembered how beautiful she looked sleeping in Urbosa’s arms atop Vah Naboris. He remembered how desperate she was in the Spring of Courage. He remembered how he felt the other night when she pressed herself against him and rocked her hips side to side. Then he remembered being hunted by guardians. He remembered being near death, barely able to breathe or see, and standing up for one last fight. He remembered the searing pain ripping through his muscles as he took his last breaths. He remembered the pride he felt as Zelda stepped in front of him and finally harnessed her powers…how she saved his life. He remembered waking up in that shrine, not even knowing who he was. He remembered the spirit of her father as that old man on the plateau. He remembered Mipha healing his arm as they sat together on Vah Ruta. Then he remembered the way the earth shook and the way Zelda trembled as Calamity Ganon broke free. He remembered the worthlessness he felt now that Ganon was dead. He was useless, he had no purpose. He remembered how he trained his entire life for one thing and that one thing was over. 

Everything was so out of order. Everything was so fuzzy. It was all in pieces, flashing before his eyes and disappearing before he could comprehend it. His head was pounding. His soul felt heavy. He was sinking. If he could just remember…

“Do you really remember me?”

If he could just…

“Thank you Link, Hero of Hyrule.”

He pounded his fists on the table. Why couldn’t he make things fit?! Why was he drowning?

“When this is all over…maybe we could spend some time together.”

He was losing it. He squeezed his eyes shut as he grasped his head tightly. If he could just fight this emptiness...no purpose...useless...

“Good luck sealing the darkness!”

Link broke. He grabbed the vase with the wildflowers and chucked it at the wall with a shout, the sound of shattering pottery echoing in the small house. His blood was pounding in his ears, chest heaving with frustration. Zelda was down the stairs in an instant, eyes wide with surprise.

“Link!” She breathed, stopping at the the last stair. Her eyes found the shattered vase in the corner and then trailed back to him. His gaze was locked on her, his breaths still ragged and heavy. She blushed as she realized that he was in nothing but his underwear. “What happened?” 

 

“I can’t…” He struggled, eyes never leaving her own. He brought his hands up and ran his fingers through his hair. She couldn’t help but stare at all of the muscles that tensed and flexed with his movements. She swallowed hard and tried to peel her eyes from the ridges of his abdomen. 

“You can’t...what?”

“My memories. They don’t fit.” He nearly growled. Then his voice took a more pathetic turn as he murmured “I’m worthless.”

Zelda took a step down and opened her mouth for a rebuttal, but he cut her off. “I don’t mean anything anymore. My life had one purpose. To protect you as we defeated Ganon. He’s gone. I don’t know who I am, Zel. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Every second of every day, I’m sinking. Drowning. I’m empty and careless. I’m nothing.”

Zelda’s eyes widened as she made the connection. That day in the river...she was feeling Link. And in Kakariko...was that how he felt when he died? She felt like her heart split in half. Tears sprung to her eyes with the realization. 

“That was you?” She whispered, but he didn’t hear. He was still ranting, beginning to pace back and forth. 

“It wouldn’t even matter if I didn’t exist anymore. Nobody needs the hero of Hyrule any longer.” 

“No!” Zelda shouted. He stopped and looked at her, unmoved. “Don’t you dare say that. I need you!”

“You’d be fine. Ganon is gone and you have the Goddess’ powers. We’re destined to find each other every lifetime anyway. You don’t need me now, you can find me later. All I am is a killer. I almost murdered you the other day because of a nightmare. I might as well just die, Hyrule would be better off.” His bitter and helpless tone made her cry harder. He resumed his pacing, mumbling things to himself and ignoring her protests. Her anger flared and she marched up to him, stopping his actions with a hard slap across the face. 

“How could you even say that?! I spent 100 years waiting for you to come back from the dead. A fucking century, Link!” She shouted in his face. His eyes were wide as he froze, his skin already turning a light shade of pink from her hand. She had his attention now. “I didn’t save you because you were the god damned Hero of Legend! I saved you because the thought of losing you was worse than the Calamity himself.” She went to slap him again for being so stupid, but he caught her wrist before she could. “I saved you because I NEED you and because I LOVE you!” 

His features changed and he stayed silent, fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist. Her voice broke and fell to a whisper. 

“After you woke, you didn’t even know who I was. I waited and waited for you to come back, praying that you’d find me, and you did. But you don’t even remember me...”

“I remember you.” He stepped closer to her. She gasped slightly, surprised at his tone. His voice turned quiet and low, his eyes just as deep and dark. His mood had done a complete turn around from their shouting match. She felt like he was staring into her soul. He’d never looked at her with the intensity he was now. She leaned against the wall behind her as he came even closer. 

“You do?” The tremble in her voice seemed to increase with his close proximity. He was so close now that she could feel his breath on her face. He smelled so good. Like the wind and grass, like the bonfire and the baked cinnamon apples they had the night before. It made her ache. 

“Yes.” He breathed on to her, releasing her wrist and resting his hands on the wall on either side of her head. “You loved me.” 

Her knees nearly gave out as he spoke and she could just barely manage a nod. His eyebrows were knitted together in the middle of his forehead, intense concentration etched into his features. “I do.”

“Did…” He struggled to form the words, his voice so quiet she almost wasn’t sure she heard him. “Did I return those feelings?”

Zelda was quiet for a few moments, thinking back to all the time they had spent together one hundred years ago. “I don’t know…you never told me.” 

Link nodded, releasing his hands from the wall. They stood still as Link just stared at her. A ragged breath fell past his lips. She was dying to know what was running through his mind right now, more than any time before. His thoughts were always hidden behind his eyes and now was no different. Her breath was almost non existent as he brought his hand up to her cheek, sliding it through her hair around to the back of her head. His other hand found her waist as he stepped in to her, their bodies just barely touching. He pressed his forehead against hers, eyes darting back and forth between her own eyes and her soft, ruby lips. Link couldn’t explain the feelings coursing through him, but he knew what he wanted in that moment.

His eyes asked what he could not as he gently tightened his grip around her waist. The anticipation was killing her. Her body ached and she arched into him slightly, her actions answering his silent question. 

He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers, holding so still that she wasn’t sure it had happened. He pulled back just as soon as it had started and stared into her eyes. Zelda was breathless, just waiting for him. She was completely at his dispense at this point, finding that if he didn’t have his hands on her right now she would have collapsed to the floor. She watched as emotions fled through his eyes, trying to process everything that was happening.

And then, something in Link snapped. He felt the same thing he did when he and Zelda danced by the fire. More. 

He needed more. 

He pushed himself back to her, capturing her lips once again. He held her body tight against his, leaning them further into the wall. Their lips moved against each other's hungrily, Link’s hands sliding down to Zelda’s hips as hers got lost in his hair. The kiss was passionate, one hundred years worth of tension and impatience coursing through both of them. Link felt like he had electricity running through his veins, like Zelda’s fingers burned every inch of skin that she touched. It was a newfound fire, a surging essence of life that he hadn’t felt since...well since he died. She was his vitality. 

He slid a hand under her shirt, sliding it across the bare skin of her waist and up her back. She arched into him and pulled lightly on his hair, eliciting a deep sound from the bottom of his throat-almost like a growl. He promptly pushed the old shirt over Zelda’s head, leaving her no time to protest and tossed it to the floor. He dropped his hands down her backside, feeling the curves of her hips as he grabbed under her thighs and picked her up. She gasped as he drove her backwards into the wall, the only thing separating their skin being the thin fabric of her undershirt. Link dropped his lips to Zelda’s jawline, up to her ear, and then down to her neck and collar bones. Zelda could barely contain herself, whimpering as he nibbled on the skin at the base of her neck. As he made his way back to her lips, she couldn’t help but wonder what had brought this on and feel surprised at how forward he was. A fire was also ignited deep within her, a feeling she had never experienced before. She, too, wanted so much more. 

An aggressively loud crack of thunder startled the both of them. Link instinctively gripped her tighter as Zelda jumped and broke their kiss. The sound of rain hitting the roof of the house confirmed that it had started to storm and they both relaxed, realizing there was no danger. They stared at each other, chests heaving with deep breaths. 

“So...” Zelda broke the silence after a few moments. Link slowly let her legs go down to the floor, but kept himself as close to her as possible. “...what does this mean?” 

Unsurprisingly, Link did not have an answer. Yet, he decided to speak. 

“I don’t have any idea.” He breathed, tracing his fingers across her cheek. He still couldn’t organize his thoughts and feelings, but he knew now that Zelda had ignited something within him...something that could give him purpose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This shit makes me sweat. #wannabezelda


	6. Confirmation

The oil lamp on the end table flickered, casting an animated shadow on the walls around them. The pair sat on Link’s bed, a blanket covering their shoulders as the listened to the storm rumbling outside. He stared mindlessly at Zelda as she traced her fingertips over his cheek. 

“I’m sorry that I hit you.” She whispered, frowning a bit. “It was uncalled for.”

“Hardly. I deserved it.” Link shrugged, taking her hand off his cheek and hold it in his own. He fiddled with her fingertips and avoided meeting her gaze. 

“Link...” She prodded, thumbing the small scruff that was growing on his jawline. “Are you so lost that you’ve given up on life?”

He was silent for a long moment and then he met her gaze. “I don’t know. I don’t understand any of it.” 

Zelda dropped her hands to her lap and played with the ends of her dampened hair. After their heated moment, the pair decided to wash up, fully dress themselves and then turn in for an actual night of sleep. 

“Well...” She started as she began to loosely braid a few strands together. “What gave you purpose when you woke up from the shrine?”

“You.” He blurted out without a thought. Zelda blinked in surprise and watched as Link rubbed his hands over his face, seeming a little surprised himself. “And Ganon. I knew that I had to find you and that we had to fulfill our duties. We did that. Now I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, it might not be what you meant, but you still have me.” She spoke quietly, fastening the end of her braid with a tie. She could see something behind Link’s eyes shift as she spoke, her heart feeling heavier with each word. “Is that...am I enough to keep your interest in life?”

He didn’t speak, but instead moved closer to her on the bed. He took her face in his hands and gently brought her lips to his. The kiss was different from their earlier ones. This one was long and sweet, full of emotion as Link tried to show her what he could not say. 

They both knew that while Ganon was gone, their fight was far from over and their destiny was not entirely fulfilled. They won the battle, yet they still had to win the war. Hyrule was as broken as they were and there remained much to do to heal it. They would need to continue their travels to regain the regions as allies, combat the rising threat of the Yiga clan as they avenged their leader’s demise, continue to research and maintain the functionality of the Divine Beasts and appoint them new champions, and deal with Zelda’s coronation and responsibilities as Queen. Link did not know where he would stand with Zelda when that time came, but he knew that she would not leave him behind. He also knew that no matter where this life took them, his soul would be bound to hers for eternity and he found comfort in that.

As he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers and gazed deeply into her eyes. Hers were overflowing with adoration for him, a sight that made him swell with many emotions that he couldn’t even describe. As she pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around him, she whispered three words that confirmed his own feelings.

She gave him the life and the purpose that he thought he no longer had. With her, he could fight not only to stay alive, but to truly live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s it for this one! Like I mentioned, this one wasn’t going to be about a ton of plot and story line. It was about Zelda and Link’s relationship post calamity and how they deal with each other and themselves. 
> 
> Sorry this one was short and delayed, but it seemed right to end it there. I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet and maybe I’ll see you all in another one sometime soon. Thanks for all of the support, it’s been fun :*

**Author's Note:**

> I have no clue what I’m doing, just emptying my brain to the internet. 
> 
> Leave a note if you please :*


End file.
